News came down yesterday that Barrie Colts goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood received an eight game suspension for a use of a stick incident in game last Friday against rival Sudbury Wolves.
Blackwood had previously been announced as one of the goalies chosen to go to Helsinki, Finland for the 2016 World Junior Championships.
Now that Blackwood will have to honour two games of the suspension going in to the tournament, Hockey Canada has called up a third goalie (Samuel Montembeault from Blainville-Boisbrand in the QMJH).
It is likely that Charlottetown Islanders netminder Mason McDonald (chosen at the same time as Blackwood) will get at least the first two starts.
The following interview was conducted before yesterday’s suspension announcement:
The Colts goaltender was announced as one the invited players to Hockey Canada’s world junior selection camp on December 10-14 at the Mastercard Centre in Etobicoke.
30 players from around the Canadian Hockey League will try to make the cut of 22 that will represent Canada in the annually anticipated tournament.
As one of only two goalies invited, Blackwood is automatically making the team headed to Helsinki, Finland.
“It’s definitely an honour,” said Blackwood. “I also feel it’s the best way to go just having two goalies. It allows whoever is selected to just focus on the position and not worry about having to out-duel someone else. As a goalie you can work on several things that will be beneficial to the team and not focus on what’s beneficial to you making the team.”
Canada will go in to the event as the defending champions, having won the 2015 version last year in Toronto.
The nation’s glory years are remembered as the stretch from 1993 to 1997 where Canada won a record five gold medals.
There were also the 14 medals from 1999-2012 which included another five straight golden years.
Canada, however, has not won gold on European soil since their Czech Republic victory in 2008.
“Everyone knows the history here the minute talk of the juniors event starts up,” said Blackwood. “We have to try not to live up to what the boys did last year and try to just focus on what we will be capable of doing to continue the gold winning. The whole nation is watching and cheering and reading up on every player. Western fans are learning about OHL guys and Quebec looking at Western players; it’s a really big deal.”
Blackwood is far and beyond his team’s number one goalie, and would be on near any team in the Ontario Hockey League.
While helping the national program achieve greatness at the international level, the Thunder Bay native knows that the tournament can have an effect on the club teams that have to do without top performing players for the two weeks.
“It’s definitely an issue for some. You could say that it hurts a team that may be on a bit of a streak, but truthfully it’s usually a bunch of players from different teams. When everyone is losing good players to make a national team successful, it almost evens out.”
Blackwood, recently name Vaughn Goaltender for the month of November, is already playing the majority of minutes for the Colts with a league second most of 1,353.
Heavily relied on between the pipes in Barrie is something that the six foot netminder relishes and will hope for in Helsinki.
“I’ve been playing the majority of minutes for the Colts; more than ever in my hockey life,” said Blackwood. “It’s great knowing that a team trusts me and I do enjoy the challenge, but will be important to find a system that prepares me for not just the tournament, but for the rest of the OHL season. Practice is key, but maybe I focus on other aspects of practice and get extra rest just so as not to cause burn-out. It’s something to look at as the season goes on but many before me have done it and its part of being a player at this level.”
Like most Canadians and all young hockey players in the country, Blackwood grew up watching the World Junior tournament and cheering Canada.
It will be no different this year only he’ll be on the ice giving his family friends something more to cheer for.
“Growing up this was something that I looked forward to every year and dreamed of being a part of,” said Blackwood. “My whole family gets excited about this and hopefully this squad will give them and everyone something to cheer about.”
The selection camp invitees will play two exhibition games against a team of Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) players on December 12 and 13. The world junior tournament begins December 26 with the gold medal game on January 5. Canada faces the USA on Boxing Day.
Blackwood by the OHL numbers:
- 2nd in GAA
- 1st in save percentage
- 4th in wins
- 6th in shutouts
- 5th in minutes played
- 2nd in saves
